Rabbit for a pet?

Question

I want to get a baby bunny rabbit for a pet. Would i have to get it any shots or anything? what kind of care would i give it?

Answer 1

I have two rabbits myself and have had them for some time now. Mine have never had shots and they are perfectly healthy. I do give them liquid vitamins designed for rabbits that I simply put in their water just to be safe. As for what kind of care to give your new friend, all bunnies should have a cage, a water bottle, a food tray or self-dispensing bin, chew toys like flavored pumice stones or wood to naturally file their teeth down (rabbit's teeth are continuously growing and can cause lots of pain if they get too long), litter if you're going to potty train them (it makes clean-up sooo much easier and you can find instructions on how to get them to use a litter box at any pet store), bedding, and most importantly your love and attention! Most pet stores sell a starter kit that includes cage, water bottle, hay trough, a small bag of food, a small bag of bedding, and a little handbook of important tidbits about your new pet for around $60. Rabbits also need to have their nails clipped because they too get long and can cause pain; especially if the cage you get is wire on the bottom. You can either get them clipped at a vet's office or buy clippers from any store that sells pet supplies and do it yourself. If you do choose to go the DIY route, make sure you don't cut the nails too short as this will cause them to bleed. Good luck and have fun with your new bunny!

Answer 2

Rabbits can make wonderful pets, but they aren't as easy as most people think. Many people compare them to hamsters and guinea pigs in terms of care, when they are more appropriately compared to having a dog or cat.

Rabbits need to be FIXED! Even if you only have one. Males will spray (like a tomcat) if not fixed and can become aggressive and territorial. Females have something like an 80% death rate from ovarian and uterine cancer when not fixed. So in either sex, fixing is a must, both to make them better pets and for their health.

Some sites say rabbits need shots. My vet says they don't. It might depend on where you live. (For instance, where I live, they don't use heartworm prevention in dogs because we don't have it here).

Rabbits need a large cage AND need to be allowed to run around out of a cage. Some people let their bunnies roam free in their house. That's fine, but you need to bunny-proof first. My bunny stays in a dog-kennel turned rabbit cage during the day and has roam of my kitchen and dining room in the evenings.

They have special diet requirements too. Basically everything you need to know is at www.rabbit.org It's a VERY helpful site.

Answer 3

Firstly, was the rabbit that got wet in a cage. If it was it couldn't go and find shelter whereas a wild rabbit will dig a hole underground for shelter. Also pet rabbits are weaker than wild rabbits and they don't have that survival instinct. Pet rabbits need someone to care for them whereas wild rabbits can take care of themselves. Also you wouldn't know if a wild rabbit died unless you happen to come across it, but they would mostly live in areas with grass and trees.

Answer 4

Rabbits are awesome pets! I reccomend them over many other pets! They're easy to care for and easy to love. We don't give our rabbits any shots, but if you feel it necessary you can go for one beginning check-up and the vet will tell you all you need to know.

Answer 5

It needs to go to the vet regularly like any pet. It will need to be spayed or neutered, have it nails trimmed, have its teeth checked (some rabbits need there filed down) Call your local rabbit rescue and ask to spend the day with them, its a good way to learn

Answer 6

First I recommend you go to this website http://www.rabbit.org to see if a rabbit is the best choice for your life. You can't just get it and stuck it in a hutch in the yard. They need socialization and love. If you are in the UK then you need to get it shots. I highly recommend going to a shelter because they will include the cost of the spay or nueter in the adoption fee and its a bargain. Trust me on getting it spayed or nuetered.

Answer 7

I've brought my bunny to the vet twice and I've had her for a year. I don't see the need to get her fixed...just money out of my pocket that I don't really have. Bunnys need lots of attention. They need wood shavings, toss toys, rabbit feed and a cage and water bottle. They need fresh water and food every day and veggies a few times a week. You'll love having a bunny rabbit, they have such unique and fun personalities. You'll love playing with your bunny and he/she will crave your attention. I love my bunny, shes awesome...good luck!! Oh and p.s. I haven't had to give my bunny any shorts or anything like that...and she's been perfectly healthy for 2 years!

Answer 8

rabbit do not required any shots.....or else i would not have my 14.

here is the info i give all new owners

So you have desided to buy a rabbit. This will help you learn everything there is to know about rabbit care.
Food what is good what is bad
There is such a thing as rabbit food that is horrible for your rabbit. To be sure that your rabbit is getting a good diet try looking at the bag of feed for these things protein,Fiber and fat percentages. There should be at least 18% Fiber. 2.5 or less in fat and 16-18% in protein, and only feed about a half a cup or so of this feed. I suggest Purina brand feed, but most other brands are also ok. If your Rabbit is under 5 months old, food should be given all the time. Hay is also important for your Rabbit and you should give it hay at all times. Some good types of hay to feed is mixed grass hay and Timothy. Greens should also be a large part of the rabbits diet but please if your rabbit is under 4 months only feed a small piece example it should be smaller than the palm of your hand, but once your rabbit is over 4 months give it a large handful of greens once a day. some good greens to feed your rabbit are, carrots,dandelion greens,kale,collard greens(my rabbits favorite), escarole,romaine lettuse, parsley, mustard greens, but never feed light lettuce such as iceberg lettuce. So remember that you should feed your rabbit only once a day (pellet feed and greens) but give hay all the time.
Water
Water must be available at all times and can be given in either a water bottle or a water bowl. I suggest that you use a bottle since the rabbit can't spill it or get it dirty. In the winter months if your rabbit is outside you will want to replace the frozen water at least twice a day. It might be helpful to use a water bowl, since bottles are hard to defrost quickly and offen crack when they become frozen.
Caging
There are some important things to remember when getting your rabbit a cage . One factor should be if you are going to keep your rabbit inside or outside. I always say it is better outside than inside but there isn't really one that is better for the rabbit than the other. The outside cage should have a roof and should have a house or wooden part of the cage in the back and a wire or open part in front. This should be 4 times the size of your rabbit (front) and 2 times or more for the back. If you are keeping your rabbit inside the house the best type of cage should be at least 4 times the size of the rabbit. That is without the food bowls. so you might want to figure about 5-6 times the size of rabbit. But if you cannot find a indoor cage that big use a small one but let your rabbit out for exercise more often.
Exercise
Exercise is another important part of a rabbits life. If your rabbits is outside you may want to set up a ''run'' or a fenced in area bigger than that your rabbits cage for him to run around in. You can make this a permanent fence or a collapsable one. About once a week or more you can let your rabbit run around in this ''run''. Not only is this healthy for the rabbit it is also a so source of entertainment. If your rabbit is inside you might want to put up some type of a run also since indoor rabbits need more exercise since their cages are smaller.
Grooming
Rabbits shed there coat about twice a year, Sometimes when a rabbit washes he swallows some of this loose shedded hair, and they become hairballs which in rabbits can sometimes be deadly, since they very often become stuck in the digestive track, a way to prevent this is to feed your rabbit plenty of extra hay, and keep your rabbit brushed, to get rid of the loose fur. A papaya enzyme pill can also be given to your rabbit during this time to break up the fur. Or try feeding your rabbit some pineapples, the acid in the pineapple juice breaks up and the fur in your rabbit stomach.
Weather care
if your rabbit is in the house much of this will not apply but please read this anyway. When the temperatures outside reach the 80's your rabbit may have trouble keeping cool. The first thing to do is be sure your rabbits cage is out of direct sunlight. You can also freeze drinking water bottles and put it in your rabbits cage, the rabbit will lay next to it and keep cool. Rabbits who become over heated can very easily die, if you rabbit seem to be wet around the mouth and is painting uncontroably, you can put your water on your rabbit, especially on it's ears this will cool the body temp and hopefully save your rabbit. REMEMBER never move your rabbit indoors when it is hot, or move it outside when it is cold, the sudden shock can kill your rabbit very easily. In the winter just add some straw or extra woodchips to keep your rabbit warm and be sure to change the frozen water offten, rabbits deal with the cold very well, but not the heat.
Other information
Some other information that might be helpful to you is, Rabbits can also have any pear or apple leftovers you may have, but not to many since the greens are better for the rabbit but still ess important than the pellets, which are a must. Rabbits do not requirer any vacinations like a dog or a cat and normally live very healthy lives. (as long as you give him good care) and vet bills are usually very small. Rabbits can live 7-10 years on average although 15 has been recorded. Rabbits nails need to be cut about once every month or two. use can use a cat nail clipper and cut just the tip of the nail. (where it is white)